by Mark Shaw | Sep 10, 2012 | Current Events
http://surfky.com/index.php/obituaries/local/hopkins/19402-operation-blue-li Check out this link above to a recent story about Operation B.L.U.E. Lights in Kentucky from June 1, 2012, to September 4, 2012 (Labor Day). That’s a couple days over 3 months and they...
by Mark Shaw | Aug 20, 2012 | Current Events, Vs. Psychology
I find it interesting that in light of the shootings in Colorado commonly called the “Movie Massacre” that there is a lot of talk about mental health and mental illness. Many are ASSUMING this young man who was the killer had to be mentally ill since there...
by Mark Shaw | Aug 13, 2012 | Biblical Counseling
I heard a psychologist talk about dealing with the “psychological wounds” following the tornadic storms last April in 2011. While I do not disagree about the pain involved in the aftermath of these storms, his choice of words is wrong here. The victims are...
by Mark Shaw | Jul 31, 2012 | Posts by Mark
Sometimes, the world labels people as “weird” or “crazy” or “psycho” which is judgmental. The outward behavior is strange in these cases so the person seems like a “whacko” (and other such derogatory terms). But God...
by Mark Shaw | Jul 21, 2012 | Current Events, Uncategorized
John Boehner said that America can pull together “when confronted with evil we cannot comprehend.” But Christians CAN comprehend this evil because we understand the sinful nature of the human heart. We understand that James Holmes is capable of shooting...
by Mark Shaw | Jul 16, 2012 | Addiction, Biblical Counseling
In an update letter of a so-called Christian ministry that helps those struggling with addiction, I did not once see the name “Jesus Christ” in an 8 page newsletter! How can you tell me that Jesus could not be written once in a newsletter/promotional...
by Mark Shaw | Jul 2, 2012 | Church Life, Disciple-Making
I was reflecting the other day about why is there a stigma for those who get counseling in the church (we’ll call them “counselees”) and it hit me! It’s because there are 2 groups of people: Counselees and Those who think they do NOT need...
by Mark Shaw | Jun 24, 2012 | Current Events
I read where one of the family members of the victims in this national sports case of child abuse said something like: “There are no winners.” She is right. Jerry Sandusky, a former assistant football coach at Penn State and now convicted child sex abuser,...
by Mark Shaw | May 28, 2012 | Church Life, Current Events, Vs. Psychology
I read David Platt’s Radical Together book and loved the sixth chapter’s title and subtitle: The God Who Exalts God: We are Selfless Followers of a Self-Centered God When you read that at first, you may be tempted to think it is wrong but it’s...
by Mark Shaw | May 14, 2012 | Addiction
I write about the victim mentality in my books because I’ve learned that most people really want to think of themselves as irresponsible, helpless victims (see Genesis 3:12-13). This story is very sad to me and epitomizes the victim mentality extremely well,...
by Mark Shaw | Apr 14, 2012 | Current Events, Jesus Only
Recent celebrities and athletes have struggled with alcohol and drug abuse like baseball player and Christian, Josh Hamilton. Some of these celebrities have died in their struggle like Whitney Houston and now Thomas Kinkade, known as the “painter of...
by Mark Shaw | Apr 9, 2012 | Uncategorized
“If I profess with the loudest voice and clearest exposition every portion of the truth of God except precisely that point which the world and the devil are at that moment attacking, I am not confessing Christ. Where the battle rages, there the loyalty of the soldier...
by Mark Shaw | Mar 26, 2012 | Disciple-Making, Heartbeat of TIL, Life Lessons
To be a follower of Christ, you need to be taught since the word “disciple” comes from the same Latin root as the word “discipline” and indicates a student learning in a structured setting. So who is discipling you? When I ask that question to...
by Mark Shaw | Mar 12, 2012 | Church Life, Uncategorized
I heard a statement from someone that “theology divides the body of Christ” which is a dangerous statement to make when left alone like above. “Theology” means the study of God and if someone is simply JUST studying God, then they may not...
by Mark Shaw | Feb 26, 2012 | Heartbeat of TIL
Ever think about that question? I didn’t until I was challenged with how to make disciples using that metaphor growing a forest. Similar processes: growing a forest and making disciples (Matt. 28:18-20). How so, you ask? Growing a forest requires planting. One...
by Mark Shaw | Feb 20, 2012 | Addiction, Biblical Counseling, Current Events, Scripture, Vs. Psychology
Very sad. Everything surrounding Whitney Houston’s tragic death is sad to me. Her life was sad, too, for a variety of reasons. I wanted to write this blog many days ago but waited until some of the emotion has died down before commenting. I always liked and...
by Mark Shaw | Nov 26, 2011 | Heartbeat of TIL
I love our TIL slogan: Be Transformed! It comes from Romans 12:1-2: “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.” God...
by Mark Shaw | Nov 14, 2011 | Heartbeat of TIL
In the last post, I mentioned Luke 10:1 as the Scripture that birthed the idea for our TEAM approach to the ministry of biblical counseling. Let me encourage you to read further in that passage because this section holds important biblical principles that guide our...
by Mark Shaw | Nov 10, 2011 | Heartbeat of TIL
In Luke 10:1, Jesus sent out His disciples to do the work of ministry in pairs: “After this the Lord appointed seventy-two others and sent them on ahead of him, two by two, into every town and place where he himself was about to go.” In biblical...
by Mark Shaw | Sep 26, 2011 | Addiction, Uncategorized
Anyone who thinks drinking alcohol to excess and becoming intoxicated is NOT a sin is unbiblical and thinking more like Satan and this world’s system than like Christ. “But we have the mind of Christ” says I Corinthians 2:16 and that is referring to...